25 most overrated attractions in the world: what you definitely shouldn't waste your time on

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

The pandemic has put our lives on hold in the most unprecedented way. The worst thing is that many were deprived of the opportunity to travel, visit museums, and see the famous sights. Now people are just waiting for the opportunity to escape from the annoying walls somewhere. There is an unspoken list of world sights that everyone must see. The list below is too overrated in the opinion of many tourists, places that are not worth the time, effort and money spent on them. Where not to go?

Many travelers draw up a list of attractions in advance that they wish to see. For some, it's Times Square and Hollywood, for others - a dinner with a view of the Eiffel Tower … The main thing is, when you get ready for your next big trip after the pandemic, take into account some of the nuances. You can use good advice from people who have already visited these places, but regretted it. Below are some of the most overrated travel destinations.

1. Mona Lisa

Mona Lisa at the Parisian Louvre. This is just a small painting that hangs quite far away on the wall. The hall is very crowded with tourists. It is definitely a beautiful, incredibly famous piece of art. Just don't visit the Louvre just for the Mona Lisa. Most of the other paintings in this museum are much more impressive than her.

2. Dubai

If you want to spend your vacation just in an air-conditioned building, this is the place for you. Here you go to an air-conditioned basement, get into an air-conditioned car to drive to another air-conditioned basement of another air-conditioned building.

3. Hollywood

The place where dreams are born … The most annoying place on Earth. Everything there is littered with garbage, on top of all this splendor there is an incredibly romantic smell of urine.

4. Peak of Everest

If you are not a tough extreme, a fanatical mountain lover or a climber, then you shouldn't go here at all. People simply pay locals to carry their gear and help them navigate dangerous places. It's terribly cold there. Many people heat their tents. The queue to be photographed at the top of the world can be very long. It is very dangerous for people who are not used to it for a long time to wait at such a height.

5. Pisa

Except for a small square with a tower, where everyone takes the same stupid photo. The locals are trying to sell you extremely expensive souvenirs. The rest of the city looks completely mundane and uninteresting. If you decide to visit Tuscany, go to any other town and you will get much more pleasure and beautiful views from it.

6. Hollywood Walk of Fame

Even knowing what it looks like, tourists still tend to come here. Being in Los Angeles and resisting the temptation to visit this place is probably impossible. The dirtier road is worth looking, though.

7. Las Vegas

Las Vegas is a city of advertising. There are incredibly cool themed hotels there. Otherwise, this is a rather faceless and soulless city with exorbitant prices, created for the sake of entertainment.

8. Egypt

Probably everyone dreams of visiting the Egyptian pyramids at least once in their life. In reality, all the beauty and reverence for a powerful ancient civilization is completely overshadowed by how terrible modern civilization is. Imagine the worst part of India and then add sand to it. Lots of sand.

9. France

See Paris and die! Better not. To die, I mean. Many people have such a romanticized view of France that there is even such a special term "Paris syndrome". It denotes the depth of the sudden shock that tourists experience when they see that France is not at all what they imagined it to be.

10. Times Square

For the New Year. Just not worth it.

11. Bali

Some ten years ago, he was insanely beautiful. Unfortunately, now its beauty is thoughtlessly destroyed.

12. Stonehenge

These ancient ruins are carefully guarded. You can't get close. Therefore, it makes no difference whether you pay for the tour or look at it from the road. Either way, you get the same great view from the roadway as if you were standing in line and paying to go and see. For those who want to take a closer look and in detail, the old man Google can come to the rescue.

13. Oktoberfest

You can buy beer of the same brand and in the same quantity for just a third of the price literally anywhere else in Munich. Carnival rides are also always overcrowded, their prices are expected to be overpriced, the food is decent, but also at very overpriced … You can go on indefinitely. Oktoberfest is everywhere.

14. Temple Bar in Dublin

If you find yourself in Dublin, please stay away from Temple Bar. It’s just a ridiculous place, not at all like a real Irish bar with cosmic prices.

15. UAE

The United Arab Emirates is the place with the biggest cultural deficit imaginable!

16. Fresco with wings

The same mural in Nashville with large white wings … It can take more than an hour to queue up to be photographed with this pair of wings on the wall.

17. Brussels

Simply, if you are lucky enough to visit Belgium, go to Ghent or Bruges.

18. Mallorca

Mallorca is just gorgeous! Only if you spend your vacation in quieter, not central parts of it. Especially if you are fond of snorkeling and diving. The central parts, especially Playa de Palma, are more crowded, and besides, there are a lot of Germans here. Sometimes it seems that you are in Germany and not in Spain.

19. Taj Mahal

The dazzling splendor of the Taj Mahal is overshadowed by the fact that it is always crowded with tourists. This destroys all serenity. Everything that you can see there in such conditions is perfectly visible in the photographs that you have seen a thousand times before. It's dark inside, there is little to see, and everyone is in a hurry. On the contrary, the equally beautiful Agra Fort overlooking the Taj Mahal is just as magnificent, vibrant and rich in history.

20. Verona

Balcony and house "Romeo and Juliet" in Verona, Italy. Visit a fictional landmark from a fictional history … Pure tourism!

21. South Beach, Miami

This is not at all like in Hollywood films. Bars and clubs with very high prices. There are terrible traffic jams around. You can't get into the parking lot. The beach is always crowded. There are better beaches up and down the coast. Not so famous though.

22. Disneyland

This is incredibly great! Every child's dream! Only inside the tourists are waiting for a not very funny endless waiting for a terribly short time at each attraction.

23. Mount Rushmore

No one will say that there is a huge mountain with very small faces somewhere far above. These faces are on the rock, they are much smaller than you might even think.

24. Roswell

The city that is famous for the alleged UFO crash … Whatever you expect from Roswell, New Mexico, what awaits you is much worse.

25. Bourbon Street, New Orleans

Again, all the romance of this place is in the movies. In fact, Bourbon Street is as much a bar district as any other in any other big city in the world. The same old cover bands playing the same old songs that you could hear anywhere. You can experience the full range of sensations simply by walking down the street for an hour without going anywhere.

If you want to learn more about the world's most famous museum, read our article on five little-known facts about it: secrets of the Louvre.